Brous Blades VR-71 G10

The original VR-71, of course, came equipped with some slick carbon fiber handle scales, as opposed to the eponymous G10 scales that adorn the current version. That change resulted in a dramatically more accessible knife that costs nearly half the amount of its predecessor, which is especially good news for folks who dig Brous’ animalistic designs but don’t want the price tag to chew at their bank accounts for too long.

The other materials and design elements are similar to some other Brous models: the attractive drop point-style blade is made from D2 Tool steel with four different finish options, from satin to acid stonewash. The cut-out in the VR-71’s blade is more functional as a deployment option than, say, the Exo flipper we reviewed a few weeks back, though the handle’s finger guard does take some finessing around.

I’m also not a diehard carbon fiber fan, so the shift in materials doesn’t interest me near as much as the price-drop aspect. The G10 is still comfortable and ergonomic, and the liner lock is easy to manipulate. It would be interesting to see a frame-lock design from Brous at some point, though that might detract from his smooth, contoured aesthetic a little bit.